Luangpor Thong

Commonly referred to as Luangpor Thong, Luangpor Thong Abhakaro is a Buddhist monk [http://www.buddhanet.net/wbd/search.php?country_id=53&province_id=0&offset=50] and teacher of Mahasati Meditation —a meditation method developed by his teacher, Luangpor Teean Jittasubho. The title "Luangpor" is used in Thailand to express respect for senior Buddhist monks and it means “venerable father.”

Biography

Luangpor Thong Abhakaro was born May 14, 1939 at Muang District, Nong Bua Lumpoo province, Northeast of Thailand. Luangpor Thong’s parents were both farmers. His father died when the young boy was only 7 years old. Then the future monk was raised mostly by his mother.

In 1961, at the age of 22, he was fully ordained as a monk, and received his Buddhist name, Abhakaro. Then Luangpor Thong studied the traditional Dhamma courses for six years.

In 1967, he met Luangpor Teean Jittasubho, [ http://www.baus.org/sati/to_one_that_feels.htm ] the founder of Mahasati meditation [ http://vipassanayanika.wordpress.com ] . Luangpor Thong asked his teacher for an intensive meditation retreat under his guidance. Luangpor Thong asked permission to remain secluded in a small cottage practicing by himself, without any obligation to go chanting or asking for alms. Luangpor Teean agreed. Since then, this arrangement became a regular practice during Luangpor Teean's meditation retreats. The young disciple practiced this method continuously for thirty days and reached the state of Roop-Nahm (body-mind basic stage). [ http://www.watsomanas.com/eng/mahasati.php ] Luangpor Thong continued practicing without interruption for another nine days, then he achieved the state of “Birth-Extinction”—a doubtless understanding of life and death.

In 1985, Luangpor Teean appointed Luangpor Thong as the abbot of Wat Sanamnai, [http://www.dharmaweb.org/index.php/Thailand] the most important Mahasati Meditation Center in Thailand. In 1989, Luangpor Teean passed away. That year, the “Luangpor Teean Jittasubho (Pann Intapew) Foundation” was founded, with Luangpor Thong as its president. [http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/lofiversion/index.php/t41645.html]

In 1995, Luangpor Thong established the “Mahasati Association of America,” a non-profit organization with the mission of teaching the Mahasati Meditation in the United States.

Nowadays, Luangpor Thong continues spreading his Teacher’s method throughout the United States, [http://www.balv.org/oc/article_read.asp?id=24] China, and Taiwan. [http://www.dhamma.ru/sadhu/modules/mylinks/singlelink.php?cid=74&lid=1287]

Teachings

A form of vipassana or insight meditation, "Mahasati meditation" uses movement of the body to generate self-awareness and is a powerful method for self-realization. Mahasati Meditation is practiced throughout Asia and in the United States and is appropriate for anyone regardless of religion or nationality. It is suitable for beginners or those with previous meditation experience.

References

Further reading

* Luangpor Thong Abhakaro, "Beyond Text, Beyond Scriptures"
* Anchalee Thaiyanond, "Against the Stream: The Teaching of Luangpor Teean". Bangkok: Thammasat University Press., 1986
* Luangpor Teean, "To One that Feels". Bangkok: Supa Printing Co, Ltd., 3rd Ed 2005, ISBN: 974-94394-3-0
* "Normality", Bangkok: Luangpor Teean Foundation, 2004
* "Nibbana", Bangkok: Medchai Printing House, 2006 (Thai Version)
* "A Manual of Self-Awareness", Bangkok: Luangpor Teean Foundation, 1994
* "Teacher, teaching", Bangkok: Luangpor Teean Foundation, 1997, ISBN: 974-89976-1-8

External links

* [http://www.mahasati.org/ Mahasati Meditation of America]
* [http://www.mahasati.org.tw/xoops/index.php Mahasati Meditation of Taiwan]
* [http://www.luangporteean.com/ Luangpor Teean Web page]
* [http://www.baus.org/sati/luangpor_teean.htm Buddhist Association of the United States]
* [http://vipassanayanika.wordpress.com/ Vipassana Meditation]
* [http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hOcIhTOJQjo Mahasati Meditation Video Demonstration]
* [http://www.mahasati.org/video2.htm Basic Mahasati Meditation Bodily Movements]